The Runaway Heiress by Meg Tilly

July 28, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Runaway Heiress by Meg Tilly
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

A brave woman on the run from her vindictive husband faces a dangerous path in the thrilling new romantic suspense novel from Oscar-nominated actress Meg Tilly.

Sarah Rainsford has been on the run for more than three years. She’s changed identities yet again in hopes of throwing her violent estranged husband, a police lieutenant, off her trail. Since she’s still legally married to him, and he is willing to bend any laws to get his hands on her inheritance, he’ll stop at nothing to locate her.

With a new name and fake ID papers, she lands a job as a personal assistant to none other than Hollywood’s golden boy director Mick Talford. He’s a difficult client but she senses hidden depths to him. Once Mick and Sarah combine forces in a desperate attempt to keep Sarah out of harm’s way, they build a strong bond . . . but with danger trailing them, is it enough to keep them both alive?

I stayed up late reading The Runaway Heiress because I needed to know what would happen next in this suspenseful, love story about Sarah and Mick. Sarah is on the run from her abusive husband, who also happens to be a cop. Sarah is sweet and nice and doesn’t deserve the life she is now forced to live.

Mick is a successful Hollywood director but his childhood has left him vulnerable and distrustful. He wants more in his life, but he isn’t sure what is missing. He unknowingly becomes Sarah’s savior when he hires her as his assistant. Part of Mick doesn’t want Sarah around, but the other part of him is intrigued by her. Nothing about Sarah seems to add up and Mick wants to figure her out.

I loved Mick and Sarah and I thought they were great together. From the moment they meet, there is a tug of war going on between them. Sarah doesn’t put up with Mick’s outbursts and continually puts him in his place and Mick isn’t used to that. Everyone always says and does exactly what Mick tells them to do, but Sarah isn’t intimidated by Mick’s condescending attitude or his success. Mick isn’t sure what it is, but there is something about Sarah that captivates him, from the moment he meets her.

This story was such a nice surprise. I love suspense with romance and this has both, along with great writing. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what Sarah’s ex would do next and to find out if he would catch her. I was also wondering what would happen between Sarah and Mick. I could feel all the chemistry flowing between Mick and Sarah and I loved all their bantering.

This is an intriguing story with captivating storytelling. I had a soft spot for Sarah, she deserves something good in her life and some happiness. Mick is a good guy underneath his gruff exterior. He senses Sarah is in some kind of trouble and he wants to help her.

I liked the intricate plot weaving and the two main characters and I was really getting into the story, until about the last quarter of the book. Then, the story veered off in an unexpected direction. So, although I was a little disappointed towards the end of the story, I still enjoyed reading it and I would definitely recommend it. I haven’t read any of Meg Tilly’s other books and I now want to read them all. If you like to read romantic suspense and stories about Hollywood, you will like this one.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Holy Island by LJ Ross

July 28, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Holy Island by LJ Ross
Publisher: Dark Skies Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Detective Chief Inspector Ryan retreats to Holy Island seeking sanctuary when he is forced to take sabbatical leave from his duties as a homicide detective. A few days before Christmas, his peace is shattered and he is thrust back into the murky world of murder when a young woman is found dead amongst the ancient ruins of the nearby Priory.

When former local girl Dr Anna Taylor arrives back on the island as a police consultant, old memories swim to the surface making her confront her difficult past. She and Ryan struggle to work together to hunt a killer who hides in plain sight, while pagan ritual and small-town politics muddy the waters of their investigation.

Murder and mystery are peppered with a sprinkling of romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set on the spectacular Northumbrian island of Lindisfarne, cut off from the English mainland by a tidal causeway.

On somewhat enforced sabbatical on Holy Island, DCI Ryan is surprised but willing when the murder of a young woman on the island forces his bosses hand into cutting his rest period short. With the window for the murder clearly proving the only suspects are those of the regular island residents, DCI Ryan initially thinks this will be a quick case and he can start to reclaim his usual life back. What at first seems a simple enough case quickly turns convoluted, with ritual and possibly pagan overtures, historical elements and more than a few skeletons in the closet Ryan quickly realizes this case will be anything but clear cut and simple.

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel and by the time I was half way through I had purchased the second in the series. While the small island was a delightfully picturesque setting with a small and sleepy coastal kind of feel, the delicious elements of a complex history and an interesting cast of characters this book from the first page had enough excellent points to capture my attention. I was so pleased that the author did an exceptional job laying out the scene – giving me as the reader enough backstory into DCI Ryan to understand where his character was coming from but still leaving plenty of mystery around him that I was eager to read and discover more.

The trappings of a “closed room mystery” also really appealed to me. With the island cut off by the tides and a set window for the murder occurring there was a definite number of suspects which on the surface makes things easier but of course people – and their secrets, skeletons and motives – are always so much more complicated than that.

The only point where I felt the author lost some ground with me with the incorporation of an attraction and fledgling romance between Dr Anna Taylor (a civilian expert called in from the University) and DCI Ryan. While I am all for a well written romance, the addition of this attraction and chemistry between Anna and Ryan felt a little stilted to me, personally, particularly at the start when there were a lot of other plot points occurring.

In most ways this is an impressive book – with a number of strong elements to the plot (the setting of the Island, the numerous characters, the police procedural aspects of the case and the pagan/ritual aspects to the crime as well as the many motives and elements of the investigation). Adding in a romance on top of that while understandable, really made me feel as if the book was somewhat bloated, particularly when I think back and realise had those romance elements been cut from the book I feel it would have been stronger – not lessened in any way for me, personally.

I also feel I should note that right at the very end of the story – when I believed all the loose ends of the plot had been very satisfactorily wrapped up, there was a bit of a twist added in the final few pages. While definitely not a cliffhanger, I feel some readers mightn’t be impressed that the author added a few extra tidbits after the murder plot had been fully revealed and solved. I have no idea if the author did this to whet the appetite of the reader to purchase the second book, which I am guessing will follow closely along behind this story and pick up on the twist in those final few pages, but instead of leaving me the reader very satisfied with a complicated – and solved – murder, it instead left me feeling as if I’d snuck a read of the first few pages of the next book and left feeling somewhat incomplete.

I should reiterate this is an exceptionally well written book. I loved the plot – it was quite complicated and well threaded together, there were a large number of interesting characters, some great police procedural work and a really striking setting. I will definitely be reading the second book in the series and count this as a new author found for my own reading pile.

Readers looking for a fast paced or action-orientated story might find this lacking for their tastes. Personally I prefer the slower, step-by-step style the book has taken. It helped give me a really good feel for the township, the setting, the characters and the overall air of the storyline. I could well understand it won’t suit all readers and many with more modern tastes would likely expect more action and drama and a faster pace. I thought the plot was very well woven together – with a few hints and tips and false leads which should keep most readers turning the pages. Overall I was really happy with the pace and writer’s style and was really pleased to have found this new series.

For a slower moving story with a delightful setting and interesting characters this is a good read and I feel it’s an excellent debut novel. I’ll certainly be checking the next story in the series out.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Don’t Be Silly! At My Age? by Jacqueline Diamond

July 26, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Don’t Be Silly! At My Age? by Jacqueline Diamond
Sisters, Lovers & Second Chances Book 2
Publisher: K. Loren Wilson
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

At 54, the strong-minded nurse doesn’t believe in romance. At 60, the successful novelist is sure he knows all about it. They both have a lot to learn, mostly from each other!

Nurse Mandy Matchett dreams of writing a book. Why not take a class taught by her neighbor, mystery writer Richard Forbes, even though she finds him arrogant and her cat hates his dog? This outspoken duo is on course for a collision that will rock both their worlds.

Don’t Be Silly! At My Age? is the second book in the Sisters, Lovers & Second Chances series. Reviewers raved about Really? At Your Age?, which features Mandy’s sister, Dr. Cody Matchett. J. Molynick called it “…a riveting read! I finished it in a matter of a few hours.” Irene S. wrote, “This is a book that I will keep and reread again.”

Life is full of surprises.

The author did an excellent job of creating likeable and memorable characters whose realistic flaws helped to propel everything forward. I was honestly a little sad to say goodbye to them in the final scene. Even the characters who could occasionally be a little grumpy or flaky ended up winning me over. They felt like genuine people to me, and I wished I could have spent more time getting to know them. I’m now hoping to read the first book in this series and would love to continue on with it in the future if the author writes additional sequels as well.

My only piece of constructive criticism for this book involves a subplot about someone who may have meant Mandy harm. Of course I hoped for a peaceful resolution, but he had an understandable reason for being furious with her. I was fascinated by the growing conflict between them and wished more attention had been paid to developing this storyline after it was first mentioned. If that had been the case, I would have easily given this a full five-star rating as everything else about it was delightful.

This was such a tender but honest description of life in a small town. I grinned every time I discovered a new social, business, or familial connection between the characters. Just like in our world, everyone knew everyone else in this community, and there was no such thing as a secret. Yes, it could be a little insular at times, but that was perfectly normal for such a tight-knit and tiny community. I appreciated the fact that the author spent so much time describing the many different types of relationships everyone had with each other. It was absolutely perfect for the setting.

Don’t Be Silly! At My Age? was a well-rounded romance that I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read.

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High Country Justice by Nik James

July 23, 2021 By 1 Comment


High Country Justice by Nik James
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Historical, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

It will take all this lone frontiersman’s skills to save his only friend from murderous outlaws.

Caleb Marlowe carved out his own legend as a frontier scout and lawman before arriving in the Colorado boomtown of Elkhorn. Famous for a lightning-quick draw and nerves of steel, he is mysterious, guarded, and unpredictable. Now, he wants to leave the past behind. But the past has a way of dogging a man…

When Doc Burnett, Caleb’s only friend in town, goes missing, his daughter Sheila comes seeking Caleb’s help. Newly arrived from the East, she hotly condemns the bloody frontier justice of the rifle and the six-gun. But this is outlaw country.

Murderous road agents have Doc trapped in their mountain hideaway. To free Doc, Marlowe tracks his kidnappers through wild, uncharted territory, battling animals and bushwhackers. But when Sheila is captured by the ruthless gunhawks with a score to settle, Marlowe will have to take them down one by one, until no outlaw remains standing.

I love a good western and that’s what this was…a really good western. It had all the elements. A dangerous small town filled with down and out of luck silver miners whose mines were played out. A shifty-eyed sheriff and trouble in “them thar hills”.

This is very easy reading, and the words seem to flow like water. Reading a Nik James book is like watching a movie. Their description of the country as well as their crafting of characters made everything as clear as watching it. Never once did I mix up names of characters. They gave them all distinct personalities. I think that’s why I made the comment about watching a show. I felt like I could see the characters, the good ones as well as the bad ones. This western had plenty of both.

An excellent read. High Country Justice is Book 1 of a series titled the “Caleb Marlowe series”.

It looks to me as if there are 2 more books in the series and, I intend to read them all.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Scottish Lord by Joan Wolf

July 22, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Scottish Lord by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

TWO HEARTS BEYOND CONTROL

Frances Stewart was the most stunning beauty of the London Season, with every noble gallant at her beck and call, and the most eligible lord in the realm, Sir Robert Sedburgh, begging for her hand.

Lord Ian Macdonald was the most headstrong and arrogant young blade ever to sneer at society’s strictures and to scorn caution’s advice in his reckless pursuit of his own desires.

As fate would have it (no one else would dare recommend such an unsettling alliance), these two paragons of pride came together. And as all of Regency society held its breath, first a few discomfiting sparks flew, and then the explosion came…

After reading two other books by Joan Wolf, I can hardly believe she wrote this one because it’s so different from the others. That’s a sign of a skilled writer. I may have my favorite dish at my favorite restaurant but sometimes I like to shake it up and get a different dish. Most likely I’ll get my favorite dish the next time. The point is that I’ll still go back to my favorite restaurant. It’s good to be different.

The technique in this story was my “different dish” and Joan Wolf is my favorite restaurant. The technique was written in multiple points of views. There were three different perspectives – the hero, Ian, the heroine, Frances, and Ian’s cousin, Douglass. I would not consider it “head hopping” but it was unique to me to have a first, second and third person speaking. It was further intriguing to me that the story started out with Ian’s cousin, Douglass, speaking in first person.

The execution of the plot was impeccable. The plot itself was complex with many moving parts. The synopsis doesn’t even give a hint to the depth of the storyline. There were several plot twists that I didn’t see coming. I was fixed to my seat from beginning to end, turning the pages as fast as I could. I couldn’t wait to see how it was all going to turn out.

The heroine, Frances, was unrealistically beautiful. Her exquisite looks were mentioned a few too many times for my taste. With her beauty came unsurmountable stubbornness. However, in Ian’s presence she became weak in a toxic way.

Ian, the hero, definitely did not make my book boyfriend list. He initially was obnoxiously selfish, jealous and cocky. Fortunately for his sake, he was somewhat humbled near the end of the story. I believe it was because Ian was childhood friends with Frances that made their romance relatable and acceptable. They had an unbreakable connection despite all the turbulence in their relationship.

Considering the rollercoaster ride Ian and Frances’s romance put me on, I felt the ending was abrupt. I wanted a more solid closure. I would have enjoyed an epilogue. I actually expected to discover The Scottish Lord to be a book one in a series. I wanted to know more about Maggie, Ian’s sister and her relationship with a man who was a family rival. Did Maggie’s mother approve of Maggie’s relationship with this particular man?

There were many positive elements in this book to recommend it. I felt it was worth my time and consider this an entertaining book. I believe The Scottish Lord would be a great book to debate at a book club. I can see how there would be mixed reviews worth discussing. I actually read that Ian and Frances are going to make an appearance in another one of Joan Wolf’s books called The Rebellious Ward. I already requested it. 🙂

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Change of Heart by Joan Wolf

July 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Change of Heart by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Gil Archer was a man of the world—the high-pressure, high-society world of international finance and diplomacy. Cecilia Vargas, his daughter’s riding instructor, was a woman outside that world, but he saw in her the warmth and love his grand estate lacked, and he took it for himself. She had married him for love—he taught her the meaning of ecstasy. But Gil still hadn’t learned that love was not something to be acquired and ignored—and the price of the lesson might be the loss of Cecilia.

I have a new author to add to my “favorite author list”, Joan Wolf.  I don’t usually add an author after only reading just two books by her; Joan Wolf is one of the exceptions.  The first book I read, The Pretenders, received a “Best Book” rating from me.  This book, Change of Heart, is also very good.

I find her writing to be engaging. It’s a deep connection thanks to her superior writing style. It’s more compelling when the scenery she’s describing turns out to be a place that was part of my childhood. Riverside Amusement Park’s last’s season was 1999. That was my go-to place with friends as a teenager.   I was astonished when I read that location in the plot. My dad, uncle and grandfather used to race at Riverside. I believe that there could be a possibility that I knew the hero’s, Gil Archer’s, daughter, Jennifer – that is if she was a real person of course.

It’s a bit early for me to be saying “in typical Joan Wolf fashion” that her writing was spectacular but I can share that her writing was consistent between her two books. It would be rare to read two “Best Books” in a row. It was quite close though, but I actually didn’t love the hero, Gil, enough to be classified as one of my “book boyfriends”.  The heroine, Cecilia, was a bit too much of a “Daddy’s girl” though we need to keep in mind that she was a young lady and Gil was quite a bit older than her. The dynamics of these characters’ relationships were a tad “off” for me and yet, they worked well enough to keep me interested from the beginning to the end of the story.

There are a few other developed characters presented throughout the plot that connected with me. I was pleased to see Cecilia remained strong and didn’t cave in completely to the demands of her father and Gil. Gil had a few things to learn about love and Cecilia was just the person to teach him. There were a few plot curves, though mostly it was predictable, but the quality of writing meant I didn’t really care.

I had high hopes when I started this story. Change of Hearts didn’t exactly hit all my feel good spots like the other book did, but it most definitely hit plenty enough for me to recommend reading this story without any hesitation. I’m considering both looking for Joan Wolf’s back list, and making her an auto buy. I already have another book by Ms. Wolf waiting in the wings, and I can hardly wait to start it!

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You’re Still the One by Erika Kelly

July 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment


*You’re Still the One by Erika Kelly
Publisher: EK Publishing, LLC
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Hot, inked, motorcycle-riding hero
✔️ Sexy wedding planner with a whole lot of explaining to do
✔️Steamy, small town romance
✔️Second chance romance
✔️And lots and lots of make-up sex

When Stella Cavanaugh gets the chance to come home after a seven-year, self-imposed exile, she takes it. She was born to be a wedding planner, and she hopes creating her sister’s wedding might just earn her the redemption she’s been hoping for.

The only thing holding her back is the fear of running into Griffin James, the love of her life. Because she not only hurt her family, she destroyed their relationship. Burned it right to the ground. And she just doesn’t know if she can bear to find out he’s moved on. She sure hasn’t.

Basil: It increases the rate of circulation, online cialis amerikabulteni.com helps to stimulate the sex drive and enhances the blood flow to the reproductive organs involved with an erection. A small study has found that canadian cialis no prescription the supplementation of this herb for three months has substantially improved erectile abilities in men. Your objective is to get relief from erectile dysfunction associated with their utilization of such psychotropic drugs as benzodiazepines reported a rise in arousal and also overall sexual satisfaction after they started out using purchase generic cialis amerikabulteni.com sildenafil citrate. Since perfumes are mainly marketed as a means to attract the opposite sex, the inclusion of pheromones makes for a perfect ‘scent’ object. buy cialis Griffin James has a roommate. The fourteen-year-old’s staying with him while his dad’s on deployment. Sounds simple, but the boy’s grandparents are looking for any excuse to pull him out of the clutches of the big, tattooed owner of a bike shop. If Griffin can just stay under their radar, everything should be fine.

But that’s just not possible when Stella bursts into their lives. Her sparkly spirit, her big, splashy ideas, and her impulsiveness always lead to disaster. He knew that…but he couldn’t resist her.

And now she’s on the run again, because…

The very things they love about each other are also what tear them apart.

You’re Still the One is a small town story filled with second chances and fake engagements and all wrapped up into one intoxicating story. Erika Kelly is one of my favorite authors and I especially love reading her Calamity Falls stories. You’re still the One is the ninth book in this series and I loved every minute of it. Each book is a standalone but all the characters are interconnected.

This story is about Griffin and Stella. Two people who have been in love with each other since they were kids, but haven’t seen each other in seven years, because of insecurities and misunderstandings. Griffin and Stella are the complete opposite of each other. Griffin is quiet, brooding and protective, while Stella is an impulsive, free spirit. Stella’s fun and outgoing spirit make her perfect for Griffin. Everything about Griffin and Stella just clicks, they are made for each other and their chemistry is off the charts.

When Stella returns to Calamity Falls after running away seven years ago, all of the feelings Griffin and Stella had for each other return. Stella is like a tornado and she shakes up Griffin’s tidy little world. It is fun watching these two reconnect.

Once I started reading their story, I couldn’t put it down. I was invested in Griffin and Stella and I needed to find out how everything would work out between them. They both have lessons to learn and some growing up to do, before they can be together and I loved being along for the ride.

I loved everything about this story. I fell in love with Griffin and Stella and immediately connected with them. I felt as though I was right there with them in Calamity Falls. Along with Griffin and Stella, there are also many engaging secondary characters in this story and they add even more entertainment. This enchanting second chance, small town romance is both heartbreaking and heartwarming and is a wonderful addition to the series. Perfection!

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A Darkness of Wolves by Nicole Bea

July 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


A Darkness of Wolves by Nicole Bea
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: YA (14+), Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

One weekend changed everything for eighteen-year-old Wynrie Lowe, and she’s been on a downward spiral ever since. Her moods change from one extreme to the other, happiness to sadness, with nothing in between. Something is very wrong, and she doesn’t know how to fix it.

As Wynrie’s emotions grow dangerously unstable, her boyfriend, Ezra, struggles to weather the storm. But will he even still want her once he learns the truth about that weekend? And as her world is torn apart and rearranged, can Wynrie find the strength to reach out for the help she needs before it’s too late?

What would you do if one moment you were on top of the world and the next, crashing down hard? Wynrie (Wyn) goes through this regularly and without provocation. What could be the problem? True, she kissed her best friend even when she had a boyfriend, and true, she felt guilty about it, but there is more to the matter.

Things get worse. Something is definitely not normal. Wyn is trying to deal with the mood swings while also trying to figure out her feelings for both her best friend, Dawson, and her boyfriend, Ezra. These two story-lines support each other and tell a story of a young woman trying to find herself and lead a normal life.

Wyn’s ups and downs are described very well, so well that readers can gain an understanding of just how difficult of a struggle this is. Dawson and Ezra are quite likable characters. There is suspense about who Wyn will choose, and how she will live through her mood disorder.

The author has written a realistic story with characters readers will engage with. If you’re a fan of YA fiction, why not give this one a try?

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt

July 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Dr. Villapando told me to get a good attorney. He wasn’t serious. But I am. I’m going to sue my parents.

Juniper Jade’s parents are hippies. They didn’t attend the first Woodstock, but they were there for the second one. The Jade family lives an all-organic homeschool lifestyle that means no plastics, no cell phones, and no vaccines. It isn’t exactly normal, but it’s the only thing Juniper has ever known. She doesn’t agree with her parents on everything, but she knows that to be in this family, you’ve got to stick to the rules. That is, until the unthinkable happens.

Juniper contracts the measles and unknowingly passes the disease along, with tragic consequences. She is shell-shocked. Juniper knows she is responsible and feels simultaneously helpless and furious at her parents, and herself.

Now, with the help of Nico, the boy who works at the library and loves movies and may just be more than a friend, Juniper comes to a decision: she is going to get vaccinated. Her parents refuse so Juniper arms herself with a lawyer and prepares for battle. But is waging war for her autonomy worth losing her family? How much is Juniper willing to risk for a shot at normal?

Nobody wants to catch a vaccine-preventable illness, but not everyone agrees on the best way to avoid it.

This story took a balanced but painfully honest approach to the question of why vaccines are such a crucial part of modern healthcare. I appreciated the fact that the perspectives of Juniper’s vehemently anti-vaccine parents was represented so fairly. They were depicted as well-rounded humans beings who loved their children and honestly thought they were doing the best thing for Juniper and her siblings. With that being said, the narrator also went into explicit detail about how heartbreaking and dangerous it can be when vaccine-preventable illnesses are allowed to circulate freely in a community.

As much as I liked both of the characters who fell in love during the course of this novel, the romantic subplot felt out of place. There were so many other important conflicts and moments of character development happening in the storyline that I think it would have made more sense to save this for a possible sequel. It wasn’t needed here in my opinion. I would have chosen a much higher rating if these scenes had been replaced with ones that explored the main themes in greater depth.

Speaking of character development, it was well done. This was especially true for Juniper who matured beautifully after her terrible experience with contracting the measles and dealing with the physical and social repercussions of this disease afterwards. She definitely still felt like a teenager to me by the final scene, but I also saw so many indications of the brave adult she was going to become soon.

A Shot at Normal was a thoughtful book I’d recommend to any teens who would like to explore this issue in depth.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Signs We Don’t See by Carrie Beamer

July 13, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Signs We Don’t See by Carrie Beamer
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Romance, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Etta Litali has grown accustom to the superstitious behavior that comes along with being in an Italian family. But when her dad begins to spend his nights stealing signs from every city pole within three miles of their home, her house becomes overrun with dirty poster boards and the neighbors begin to notice. Stressed her dad will end up on Oprah as the man who hoards stolen signs, Etta distracts herself with a boy named Jordan. Despite the ban Jordan’s clique has on Etta, their connection grows into something special. Jordan starts to miss school and disappear leaving Etta confused and wondering if their relationship was ever real. Knowing Jordan is hiding something, Etta has to find a way to show Jordan he can trust her or she will lose him. The only way to do that is to reveal to him that she’s been keeping a secret too.

Everyone struggles with something.

This was such a compassionate take on how one working class family handled mental illness in the 1980s. Obviously, the medical treatments and community understanding of the disease Etta’s father was eventually diagnosed with was not as advanced as it would be today. It was fascinating to me to see how everyone tried to understand what was going on with him. Their reactions were as true to the era they lived in as they were true to the individual personalities of the family members, friends, and medical professionals who were trying to help in the best ways they knew how.

It would have been useful to have a little more time spent developing the romantic plot, especially during the last few scenes. While I appreciated the slow, natural pacing of it during the beginning and middle of the story, I did think there was space to explore it further once the main conflicts had been resolved and Etta had enough emotional energy to devote to lighthearted matters like these. This is a minor criticism of something I thought was otherwise well written. If the author ever writes a sequel, I hope the romantic subplot will be given more attention then as it really was a delightful part of this character’s personal growth.

I absolutely adored Etta’s relationship with her best friend, Nessa. Their personalities and interests complemented each other beautifully. The only thing better than seeing how they used their strengths to improve each other’s lives was how loyal they were. No matter what they were going through, they were always there for each other.

Signs We Don’t See was a thought-provoking read that I’d recommend to anyone who is interested in mental illness or 1980s culture.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,
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